A Quiet Place Part II (2021)
Paramount Pictures
Directed by: John Krasinski
Written by: John Krasinski, Scott Beck & Bryan Woods
Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe & Djimon Hounsou
As with so many movies originally supposed to have been released in 2020, films are beginning to trickle back into movie houses for their updated theatrical release. I, for one, am thrilled that some companies decided to save their releases for the big screen rather than just send them to streaming platforms. And as of this coming weekend, you can go out and enjoy a highly anticipated sequel in ‘A Quiet Place Part 2‘. And enjoy it, you most likely will! Those who saw the original film in 2018 can recall how deathly quiet the theater was during this almost silent film and the exasperated looks on other movie-goers faces when you would dig into your popcorn bucket and make one of the only sounds to be heard in the whole room. It was a truly original concept and a movie experience unlike many of us had witnessed before. It was also a roaring box office success and one that almost guaranteed a sequel.
With the premise revealed (I.E. Aliens have come to Earth and they hunt via sound. Don’t make any noise and they can’t detect you. But, as the tag line of the first installment says, “If they hear you, they hunt you.”) we all know what to expect going into Part 2. This one starts by giving us a flashback to the day the aliens first arrive on Earth and the chaos that immediately ensues. We then pick back up shortly after the events of the last movie ended with Evelyn Abbot (Emily Blunt) leading her 2 kids Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) along with Evelyn’s newborn baby heading out to try to find more survivors and, hopefully, a safer place to live as they try to keep quiet and avoid death at the hands of these fierce alien creatures. They stumble upon a friend of Evelyn’s late husband Lee (John Krasinski) named Emmett (Cillian Murphy) who reluctantly helps them try to find the source of a radio broadcast which would seem to indicate that there are other survivors and ones who might be able to help them now that they now how to hurt and, perhaps, defeat the unearthly creatures who have nearly taken over the planet.
The film isn’t quite as tense as the original, but still has some nail-biting moments. With very little dialogue in a movie like this, the acting needs to be strong and, on that front, everyone involves delivers. Cillian Murphy is a fine addition to the cast and Emily Blunt as well as Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe have already proven themselves to be adept at using their bodies and non-verbal skills to bring tension and drama exactly when and where it is needed. Where as last time, John Krasinski acted, directed and developed the screen play, he has also completely written this second installment on his own based off the characters and premise created by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and it is a seamless transition. Sequels are very rarely as good as the original and while this film is very solid, it suffers from the fact that we now know the gimmick and are somewhat prepared for the surprises that are in store. That being said, it fires on all cylinders, introduces some new elements to the story and sets itself up well for a 3rd installment. I would give it a strong 8 out of 10 and highly recommend that you go see it in a movie theater the way it was intended to be seen! Trust me… it’s worth it.
